BEST Southern Red Velvet Cake Recipe
Once you make this red velvet cake recipe, you’ll see why it has won so many online and offline cake contests!
It’s so soft, moist, fluffy, and full of that classic, Southern red velvet flavor, made even better with my little secret ingredients….. coffee!
I have been on the search for the best homemade red velvet cake recipe for a while now, actually. I wanted one that was easy, super moist, melt-in-your-mouth soft with that signature light chocolatey buttermilk red velvet flavor.
I’ve tried a few recipes that were…OK.
Nothing that really blew my wig back, though. Until I played around with merging three recipes (God I love baking chemistry when it cooperates) and out came THE MASTERPIECE!!!
Or at least we think so in my house!
What You’ll Love About This Red Velvet Cake
Contest Winner- This recipe has won so many contests, and so many bakeries have told me they use this recipe in their shop. It’s a fan favorite that I’ve been making for over 10 years!
Deep Red Velvet Flavor- True Southern red velvet flavor is such a tricky thing to get right. It can’t taste too chocolatey or too tangy. This recipe strikes the perfect balance, and the coffee just amplifies it.
Incredible texture. This red velvet cake passes the stick-to-the-back-of-the-frok test like a champ! It’s so moist, fluffy, and just melts in your mouth.
Easy recipe. There are no fancy steps or unique ingredients (other than coffee)
Crowd-pleaser. This red velvet cake is perfect for the holidays, and it really gets people talking after they take that first bite. Be ready to give out the recipe!
Watch Me Make This Red Velvet Cake From Start To Finish!
Come into my kitchen and let me show you how to make this red velvet cake step by step!
You’ll see exactly how the batter should look and how to handle the delicate cake layers.
What Is Red Velvet Cake?
Before we talk about what red velvet cake is, we have to talk about what it’s not.
Red velvet cake is not just chocolate cake with red food coloring (although my son would argue this).
The original red velvet cake started as a soft buttermilk cocoa cake with a subtle reddish-brown hue from the reaction between the cocoa powder, vinegar, and buttermilk.
The modern version of red velvet cake uses red food coloring to enhance that natural tint and give the cake its striking, bold, beautiful red color that we know today.
What does red velvet cake taste like?
A good Southern red velvet cake should be soft, moist, lightly chocolatey, slightly tangy, and finished with a cream cheese frosting.
It’s a signature flavor that is well-loved in the South. Velvet cakes have a tender crumb and should always consist of buttermilk and distilled vinegar.
Check out this lemon velvet cake below for a different spin!
You’ll Need These Simple Ingredients
Red Velvet Cake Ingredients
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda
- baking powder
- salt
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- granulated sugar
- vegetable oil or canola
- eggs
- buttermilk
- vanilla extract
- red food coloring
- plain hot coffee, prepared (don’t skip this ingredient)
- white distilled vinegar
Choose Your Cream Cheese Frosting
I have several cream cheese frostings that I love for red velvet cake! Pick your favorite! They are all good, so you can’t go wrong!
- Easy Cream Cheese frosting- This is the original frosting that I posted with this recipe many years ago.
- That Real Cream Cheese Frosting- This is the updated version that had me in a chokehold for many years. I still love. It’s heavy on the cream cheese flavor.
- Light Cream Cheese Frosting- This is a lighter version. I don’t make this one as often, but I still love it.
- Whipped Cream Frosting- I made this frosting for my coconut cream cake and fell in love. This is now my new favorite frosting. The cream cheese flavor isn’t as strong, but it has the most airy texture. (Just omit the coconut and coconut extract when making it for red velvet)
How To Make The BEST Red Velvet Cake
- Preheat oven to 325 F. Generously grease and flour (2) 9-inch round cake pans. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the sugar and vegetable oil.
- Mix in the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, and red food coloring until combined.
- Stir in the coffee and white vinegar.
- Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients a little at a time, mixing after each addition, just until combined. (Batter will be thin)
- Pour the batter evenly into each pan.
- Bake on the middle rack for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs clinging to it. Do not overbake since the cake will continue to cook as it cools.
- Let pans cool on a cooling rack until they are cool enough to the touch.
- Slide a knife or offset spatula around the inside edges of the pans to loosen the cake from the pan.
- Gently remove the cakes from the pan and let them finish cooling. (The warm cakes will be very delicate)
- Frost the cake with cream cheese frosting when the cakes have cooled completely. You can place the cakes in the fridge to firm up before frosting if needed.
Mo’s Recipe Tips
After making this red velvet cake for so many years, here are a few helpful tips!
- Measure the flour correctly. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off with the back of the knife. This will prevent accidentally using too much flour.
- Prepare the pans properly. Grease each pan with a thin layer of shortening and a light coating of flour to prevent sticking.
- Room temperature buttermilk and eggs. This will allow them to mix easily into the batter.
- The batter WILL be thin. The batter will and should be thin when you pour it into the pans.
- The cake is delicate. The finished cakes are very tender and delicate, so handle them with care. You can refrigerate them if you want them to firm up before frosting.
- The cake may be oily. The oil will absorb as the cake cools, so don’t be alarmed.
- Don’t skip the coffee. Use plain prepared hot coffee. You can also use a flavored, complementary coffee like chocolate or vanilla if desired. Although you won’t be able to taste it much.
FAQs
Can I skip the coffee? No, but if you insist, you can skip the hot coffee and use hot water, but it won’t have the same depth of flavor. You can’t taste the coffee in the cake. If you’re not a coffee drinker, you can just purchase a cup of plain hot coffee. It’s worth it!
Why is the batter so thin? Don’t be alarmed by the thin batter. This red velvet cake batter has a lot of liquid, which helps it remain so moist, tender, and fluffy.
Can this recipe be made into cupcakes? Yes, or you can check out my red velvet cupcake recipe here.
Why is my cake oily? The warm cake may be oily when you remove it from the pan. The oil will reabsorb as the cake cools. This helps keep the cake moist for days. It should not have an oily taste or texture when completely cooled. If it does, double-check that you did not use too much oil.
Why is my cake so delicate? When this cake is warm, it is very soft and delicate. Allow it to cool completely before handling. Once cooled, the cake is a bit firmer. You can chill the cake if you need it to be a bit firmer.
Can I leave out the red food coloring? Yes, but it will not have the bold red color, although it will still taste delicious! Natural red food coloring will give it a slightly reddish appearance.
Storage
To store red velvet cake (that’s frosted with cream cheese frosting), place it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 5-7 days.
Let the cake come to room temperature (about 30 minutes) before serving for the best texture.
The unfrosted cake layers can be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, wrap the layers in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil. Place it in a freezer storage bag or an airtight freezer-safe container.
Thaw overnight in the fridge before frosting.
Ready To Make This Red Velvet Cake?
Grab the full recipe below! And don’t forget to leave me a comment if you give it a try! I’d love to know how you liked it or if you have any helpful tips and tweaks that you discovered.
Get the Recipe:
The BEST Red Velvet Cake Recipe (Easy, Moist, Tender)
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil or canola
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1-2 oz. red food coloring more or less depending on how deep you want the color
- ½ cup plain hot coffee prepared (don’t skip this ingredient)
- 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Real Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe (Or other cream cheese frosting recipe)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 F. Generously grease and flour (2) 9-inch round cake pans. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 Tablespoons unsweetened
- In a large bowl, combine the sugar and vegetable oil.2 cups granulated sugar, 1 cup vegetable oil or canola
- Mix in the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, and red food coloring until combined.2 eggs, 1 cup buttermilk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1-2 oz. red food coloring
- Stir in the coffee and white vinegar.½ cup plain hot coffee, 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
- Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients a little at a time, mixing after each addition, just until combined. (Batter will be thin)
- Pour the batter evenly into each pan.
- Bake in the middle rack for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it. Do not overbake as the cake will continue to cook as it cools.
- Let pans cool on a cooling rack until the pans are warm to the touch.
- Slide a knife or offset spatula around the inside of the pans to loosen the cake from the pan.
- Gently remove the cakes from the pan and let them finish cooling. (The warm cake will be very delicate)
- Frost the cake with cream cheese frosting when the cakes have cooled completely.Real Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Video
Notes
- Measure the flour correctly. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off with the back of the knife. This will prevent accidentally using too much flour.
- Prepare the pans properly. Grease each pan with a thin layer of shortening and a light coating of flour to prevent sticking.
- Room temperature buttermilk and eggs. This will allow them to mix easily into the batter.
- The batter WILL be thin. The batter will and should be thin when you pour it into the pans.
- The cake is delicate. The finished cakes are very tender and delicate, so handle them with care. You can refrigerate them if you want them to firm up before frosting.
- The cake may be oily. The oil will absorb as the cake cools, so don’t be alarmed.
- Don’t skip the coffee. Use plain prepared hot coffee. You can also use a flavored, complementary coffee like chocolate or vanilla if desired. Although you won’t be able to taste it much.
Nutrition
Check Out These Favorite Red Velvet Recipes!
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Red Velvet Pound Cake
Red Velvet Cookies
Red Velvet Brownies
This cake is SUPERB! Moist, full of flavor and one of the best cakes I’ve ever had, period. Thank you so much for sharing.
Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Thanks for sharing your lovely recipe. I tried it for my nieces birthday and she loved it. Tasted amazing and moist. Wiah I could attach my pic to show you, I tagged you on IG but I dont think you saw this.
Thanks again
You’re welcome Busi, I’m glade she enjoyed it for her birthday.
Novice baker here and I must say this cake was PERFECT. I followed the instructions to a dot and it came out beautifully. Only difference is that I swapped the electric beater out and used a whisk, my first attempt using an electric beater caused a flatter and chewy cake (overbeat sadly). Whisk only made a massive change and my second try came out fantastic.
I also reduced the frosting by 1/3rd, and still found it to be the exact amount needed for a 02 layer 9″ inch cake.
My husband and friends all loved the cake, I look forward to making it again!
this is actually the best homemade recipe for a cake i’ve ever tried. the cake came out so moist but yet firm. i’ve made this cake recipe three times now and each time it comes out perfectly. and the cream cheese frosting is just as good!!!